Arresting device for downhole tools

ABSTRACT

An arresting device for downhole tools comprising a mandrel which is reciprocatingly received within a barrel. The mandrel has spaced apart wall engaging means disposed thereabout and connected to the barrel. An expansion means associated with the mandrel causes the wall engaging means to outwardly extend into contact with the inside peripheral wall surface of a borehole while at the same time engaging a portion of the mandrel, whereby, inadvertent upward movement of the arresting device causes the expansion means to outwardly extend the wall engaging means to thereby arrest upward movement of the device within a borehole.

United States Patent [72] Inventor CharlesA.Templeton 2,930,327 3/1960 Lmkous... 166/217 0dessa,Tex. 3,294,173 12/1966 Hodges........................ 166/217 [21] AppLNo. 856,129

. FOREIGN PATENTS Filed Sept 1969 948 956' 8/1956 Germany [45] Patented M 1971 Primary Examiner-James A. Leppink Attorney-Marcus L. Bates [54] ARRESTING DEVICE FOR DOWNHOLE TOOLS ing means to outwardly extend into contact with the inside peripheral wall surface of a borehole while at the same time engaging a portion of the mandrel, whereby, inadvertent up- 166/216 ward movement of the arresting device causes the expansion 166/212 means to outwardly extend the wall engaging means to 166/216 thereby arrest upward movement of the device within a 166/216 borehole [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,002,140 5/1935 Dillon......................

2,108,174 2/1938 Mays.....

2,442,121 5/1948 Earley 2,841,225 7/1958 Talbott.........................

Patented March 30, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 uvvE/vroz CHARLES ATEMPLE'ION 5V Mmzcus L. BATES AGENT Patented March 30, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,INVENT'OR- CHARLES ATEMPLETON- 3v MARCUS LBATES AGE/V7 ARRESTING DEVICE FOR DOWNlI-IOLE TOOLS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Automatic anchoring devices and arresting devices are known to those skilled in the art of oil field exploration and production. Some of these devices automatically anchor or hang" within the well upon slackening of its support means, while other devices anchor to the wall of the borehole in response to various manipulative action of the support means.

It is often necessary to run a string of tools downhole within an oil well for various purposes. For example, it is sometime desirable to locate instruments at a specified elevation within a borehole, and it is necessary that these instruments remain in such a predetermined location for a specified period of time. While carrying out tests of this nature, especially in a live or dynamic well test in which fluid is permitted to be produced through the production tubing and hence must pass about the string of tools, the fluid sometimes reaches a magnitude which is sufiicient to cause the entire tool string to be thrust uphole, whereupon the wire line and tools become entangled causing the entire assembly to become lodged within the production tubing. It is therefore desirable to incorporate an arresting device within a tool string of this nature so as to avoid inadvertent upward movement. It is furthermore desirable to be able to retrieve such an arresting device by simply lifting it in an upward direction in order to disengage it from the wall of the borehole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention contemplates an arresting device for downhole tools which' enables the downhole tool to be easily run into a borehole to a predetermined depth whereupon an inadvertent upward thrust of the tool string is prevented by the action of the arresting device. The arresting device is comprised of a mandrel having radially spaced apart wall engaging means circumferentially disposed thereabout. Inadvertent movement such as may be brought about by a pressure differential exerted across the arresting device causes the mandrel to move with respect to the barrel, which in turn expands the wall engaging means into increasing engagement between the inner peripheral wall surface of the borehole and the mandrel to thereby arrest upward movement of the tool string. When it is desired to remove the tool string from the borehole, the arresting device is lifted by a support means which is attached to the barrel, thereby causing the wall engaging means to inwardly retract, whereupon the arresting device becomes disengaged from the wall of the borehole and the tool string can be lifted.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an arresting device for a tool string that arrests an inadvertent uphole thrust of the tool string as a consequence of well fluid flow.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arresting device which engages the inside peripheral wall surface of a borehole upon the pressure differential across the tool reaching a predetermined magnitude. I

Another object of this invention is the provision of an arresting device which permits a tool string to be placed at a predetermined depth within a borehole.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an arresting device for use in a tool string wherein the arresting device includes wall engaging means which mutually engage the inside peripheral wall surface of a borehole and a portion of the arresting device with a force which increases in magnitude as the upward thrust upon the tool string is increased.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an arresting device for use in boreholes which is actuated by the upward flow of production fluid and which can be retrieved by lifting the device by its support means.

These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of an arresting device having a mandrel, a barrel, spaced apart wall engaging means which are outwardly actuated by relative movement between the barrel and the mandrel, and wherein the mandrel reciprocates within the barrel so as to impart the before mentioned motion into the engaging means. These and other objects of the present invention will be realized as the remainder of this disclosure is digested.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of an arresting device made in accordance with the present invention, and with the arresting device arranged in its normal or inactive position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. I, with additional parts being illustrated in order to show the operative relationship of the invention with respect to an oil well casing;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. I; j

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a part of the arresting device illustrated in some of the foregoing F IGS., and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of part of the device seen in the foregoing FIGS.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1, in conjunction with the remaining FIGS., illustrates an arresting device 10 for use in conjunction with various downhole tools which includes an upper sub or adapter 12 having threads disposed thereon so as to be readily attached to the swivel of a wire line or other such support means. A lower marginal end portion of the tool threadedly receives a removable skirt 14 thereon, which can take on a number of different configurations in order to control the pressure drop thereacr'oss. The lower terminal end of the tool is provided with internal female threads in order to enable various mechanisms or packages 15 to be attached thereto. The entire assemblage, that is, the arresting device together with the upper sub and package constitutes what will hereinafter bereferred to as a tool string, or a string of tools.

The arresting device includes an elongated barrel l6, and a mandrel 17, with the upper marginal end portion 17 of the mandrel being reciprocatingly received within the barrel. Several spaced apart caged wheels 18, I9, 19 comprise wall engaging means and are maintained adjacent to the mandrel by means of retainer assembly 20. Each of the caged wheels is attached to the depending end of an arm with the remaining end of the arm being retained within a T-slot such as seen at 21. The lower depending end of the barrel forms a shoulder or abutment 22. The caged wheel assembly is seen to be slightly displaced from the retainer assembly as indicated by the arrow at numeral 24.

As particularly seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, each caged wheel 25 is provided with a pin 26 diametrically extending through an oversized centrally located aperture 27. The outer peripheral surface of the wheel is loosely received within the cage and can abut either adjacent wall of the cage. The upper extremity of the cage is reduced to form shoulder 28 and has depending therefrom arm 29 which is bent in'the illustrated manner of FIGS. I and 8. The arm terminates in air enlargement 30 having shoulders 31, 33 outwardly depending therefrom so as to enable the enlargement to be captured within the T-slot at 21.

The before mentioned retainer assembly includes opposed shoulders 35, 36, having the material located therebetween undercut an amount to receive band 37 in recessed relationship therein and secured by fasteners 37. Radially spaced apart grooves, one of which is seen at 38, continue through the retainer assembly and form a tunnel as best seen in FIG. 5. The tunnels each loosely capture the before mentioned arms therein. As best seen in FIG. 7, each caged wheel requires one guide groove, 38, 39, or 40.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 8, the lower end portion of the barrel is counterbored at 40' so as to provide a shoulder 41 for receiving one end of coil spring 42, with the uppermost terminal end of the mandrel being in the form of a removable cap 44, the lower portion of which provides a shoulder for receiving the opposite end of the coil spring.

The apparatus is best assembled by first placing each enlarged end 30 of the arm of the caged wheel within each of the T-slots and thereafter sliding the upper constant diameter portion of the mandrel within the lower extremity of the barrel so as to enable arm 29 of each of the wall engaging means to be received within the tunnel forming the guide grooves of the retainer assembly. The circumferentially disposed band 37 is next placed within its previously mentioned recess whereupon the band is next secured by the illustrated fasteners 37. Spring 42 is then slidably fitted within its annulus and cap 44 assembled onto the upper terminal end of the mandrel with the spring being compressed between .the shoulder provided by the lower face of the cap and the shoulder 41. The tension of the coil spring is preferably selected whereby a negligible gap 24 (or no gap) is realized when the tool string is suspended by the upper sub 12. This expedient assures that the wheels ride within the longitudinally extending guide grooves along the constant diameter portion of the mandrel and hence the wheels are not normally extended as would otherwise be realized should the wheel ride past the area indicated by numeral 38'.

Where the package is run into the hole by using a wire line and set down on the bottom, as for example, upon a packer or other abutment, the mandrel will be moved in an upward direction with respect to the barrel due to the action of the spring together with the force of gravity. This action causes each of the caged wheels to ride down the constant diameter portion of the mandrel and along the diverging portion of the mandrel seen at 38'. This action expands the wheels into engagement with the insideperipheral wall surface 44 of a borehole, that is, the inside of the casing or production tubing as the case may be.

After having read the above descriptive portion of the disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that sudden upward thrust due to pressure differential across the tool string will force the mandrel in an upward direction with respect to the barrel due to the large pressure drop effected across the tool string and removable skirt, as compared to the barrel. In this respect, it should be noted that the pressure drop can be substantially controlled by controlling the outermost diameter of the skirt. This last expedient enables one tool to be utilized in various different sizes of boreholes by merely changing the skirt.

As the mandrel is forced or otherwise moved in an upward direction with respect to the barrel, the wheels are increasingly forced into tighter engagement with the inside peripheral wall surface of the borehole and the bottom groove wall with a rolling action because the inside peripheral surface of the borehole is moving downwardly with respect to the upwardly moving mandrel, thereby causing the opposite bearing surfaces of the wheels which contact the wall and groove bottom to more readily become wedged therebetween. This action enhances the ability of the wheels to rapidly and positively set so as to arrest movement of the tool string.

it is contemplated that those skilled in the art, having read the foregoing descriptive portion of this disclosure, will realize several advantageous uses of the invention other than as described above. For example, the arresting device can be inverted and used as a downwardly moving arresting tool. As another example, a pair of series connected diametrically opposed arresting devices can be used to arrest sudden movement in either an upward or downward direction. It is preferred, however, to use the arresting device for a downhole tool in a manner as described in detail above.

An important feature of the present invention lies in the size of the aperture 27 of the wheel as compared to the diameter of the pin 26, and the relative location of the upper and lower faces of the cage. As particularly seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, each of the upper and lower faces of the cage are curved so as to receive the outer curved surface of the wheel in complimentary fashion therein. The pin and aperture enables suificient looseness tobe effected therebetween so as to permit the outer surface of the wheel to ride or move against either of the curved surfaces of the cage. This expedient causes the cage faces, rather than the pin to carry the imposed load which is brought about as the device is actuated from an arrested to a retracted position, and vice versa. As further seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the wheel is riding against the lower face of the cage, leaving a space 28 between the upper face of the cage and the wheel, with the pin carrying substantially no load. Hence, the function of the pin is primarily to guide and retain the wheel within the cage.

Assuming that the wall engaging means of the tool has been actuated and tightly engaged between the mandrel and the borehole wall surface, when it is desired to retrieve the string from the hole, the. entire string is lifted by the upper sub. This action causes the upwardly moving'barrel to engage abutment 30, 31 at end 30 of the wheel cage assembly thereby withdrawing the wheels from the tapered portion 38" whereupon the arresting tool is returned to the retracted position seen in FIG. 1.

'Iclaim:

1. An arresting device for downhole tools or the like comprising a barrel, a mandrel, said mandrel having a portion thereof reciprocatingly received within said barrel; spaced apart wall engaging means circumferentially disposed about said mandrel; said wall engaging means includes a wheel; an arm, means forming a journal for connecting said wheel to said arm, means attaching a portion of said arm to said barrel; expansion means for causing said wall engaging means to move laterally with respect to said mandrel upon relative movement between said mandrel and said barrel; whereby movement of the mandrel with respect to the barrel in one direction causes the expansion means to outwardly extend the wall engaging means into engagement with a wall of the borehole, while movement in another direction causes the expansion means to inwardly retract the wall engaging means from the wall of the borehole.

2. The arresting device of claim 1 wherein said expansion means includes means forming a downwardly diverging portion on said mandrel; said wheel of said wall engaging means being placed closely adjacent to said diverging portion when said mandrel is moved towards said barrel.

3. The arresting device of claim 2 and further including means forming spaced apart longitudinally extending grooves on said mandrel; a retainer assembly ,on said mandrel; said retainer assembly having means forming a tunnel therethrough, one of said arms having a portion thereof received within said tunnel to thereby maintain one said wheel aligned with one said groove.

4. The arresting device of claim 1 wherein the upper extremity of said barrel has a support means attached thereto for running the arresting device into and out of a hole, and the lower extremity of said mandrel is adapted to support the downhole tools.

5. The arresting device of claim 1 wherein said expansion means includes a downwardly diverging portion of said mandrel, said mandrel having a lower marginal end portion adapted to be connected to the tool string; the upper marginal end portion of said mandrel being the recited portion which is received within said barrel; means forming longitudinally extending grooves about said mandrel; said arm of said wall engaging means including a cage at one extremity thereof and an enlargement at the remaining extremity thereof; means by which said wheel is rotatably received in captured relationship a mandrel, a barrel, a plurality of pipe wall engaging means circumferentially disposed about the outer periphery of said mandrel; said mandrel having a marginal portion thereof which is telescopingly received in a reciprocating manner within a marginal portion of said barrel;

an arm having one end portion thereof depending from a lowermost portion of said barrel, with the remaining end portion of said arm being connected to said barrel; said wall engaging means being connected to said barrel by said arm; said wall engaging means being spaced apart from said barrel and lying adjacent to said mandrel; and

expansion means forming a part of said mandrel for causing said wall engaging means to move radially away from a longitudinal axis of said mandrel when said mandrel is telescoped in a first direction, and for moving said wall engaging means towards the longitudinal axis of said mandrel when said mandrel is telescoped in a direction opposite to said first direction.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said wall engaging means includes a wheel, journal means attaching said wheel to said arm.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said wheel is provided with a central aperture; a pin; means by which .said depending end portion of said arm is in the form of a cage, said aperture having an inside dimension which loosely receives said pin to thereby enable said wheel to bear against an inside surface of said cage.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said mandrel is provided with 'a removable skirt, said skirt being spaced apart from said barrel and circumferentially extending about the entire circumferential surface of a limited length of said mandrel to thereby enable the pressure drop across the tool to be regulated by selection of the configuration of said skirt. 

1. An arresting device for downhole tools or the like comprising a barrel, a mandrel, said mandrel having a portion thereof reciprocatingly received within said barrel; spaced apart wall engaging means circumferentially disposed about said mandrel; said wall engaging means includes a wheel; an arm, means forming a journal for connecting said wheel to said arm, means attaching a portion of said arm to said barrel; expansion means for causing said wall engaging means to move laterally with respect to said mandrel upon relative movement between said mandrel and said barrel; whereby movement of the mandrel with respect to the barrel in one direction causes the expansion means to outwardly extend the wall engaging means into engagement with a wall of the borehole, while movement in another direction causes the expansion means to inwardly retract the wall engaging means from the wall of the borehole.
 2. The arresting device of claim 1 wherein said expansion means includes means forming a downwardly diverging portion on said mandrel; said wheel of saiD wall engaging means being placed closely adjacent to said diverging portion when said mandrel is moved towards said barrel.
 3. The arresting device of claim 2 and further including means forming spaced apart longitudinally extending grooves on said mandrel; a retainer assembly on said mandrel; said retainer assembly having means forming a tunnel therethrough, one of said arms having a portion thereof received within said tunnel to thereby maintain one said wheel aligned with one said groove.
 4. The arresting device of claim 1 wherein the upper extremity of said barrel has a support means attached thereto for running the arresting device into and out of a hole, and the lower extremity of said mandrel is adapted to support the downhole tools.
 5. The arresting device of claim 1 wherein said expansion means includes a downwardly diverging portion of said mandrel, said mandrel having a lower marginal end portion adapted to be connected to the tool string; the upper marginal end portion of said mandrel being the recited portion which is received within said barrel; means forming longitudinally extending grooves about said mandrel; said arm of said wall engaging means including a cage at one extremity thereof and an enlargement at the remaining extremity thereof; means by which said wheel is rotatably received in captured relationship within said cage; means forming spaced apart T-slots in the lower marginal edge portion of said barrel, said enlargement being captured within said T-slot and said wheel being guidably received within one of said grooves.
 6. The arresting device of claim 5 and further including a retainer assembly; said retainer assembly having means forming a tunnel therethrough, one of said arms having a portion thereof received within said tunnel to thereby maintain said wheel aligned with the groove.
 7. Apparatus for supporting or arresting a tool string within a pipe or the like, comprising: a mandrel, a barrel, a plurality of pipe wall engaging means circumferentially disposed about the outer periphery of said mandrel; said mandrel having a marginal portion thereof which is telescopingly received in a reciprocating manner within a marginal portion of said barrel; an arm having one end portion thereof depending from a lowermost portion of said barrel, with the remaining end portion of said arm being connected to said barrel; said wall engaging means being connected to said barrel by said arm; said wall engaging means being spaced apart from said barrel and lying adjacent to said mandrel; and expansion means forming a part of said mandrel for causing said wall engaging means to move radially away from a longitudinal axis of said mandrel when said mandrel is telescoped in a first direction, and for moving said wall engaging means towards the longitudinal axis of said mandrel when said mandrel is telescoped in a direction opposite to said first direction.
 8. Apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said wall engaging means includes a wheel, journal means attaching said wheel to said arm.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said wheel is provided with a central aperture; a pin; means by which said depending end portion of said arm is in the form of a cage, said aperture having an inside dimension which loosely receives said pin to thereby enable said wheel to bear against an inside surface of said cage.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said mandrel is provided with a removable skirt, said skirt being spaced apart from said barrel and circumferentially extending about the entire circumferential surface of a limited length of said mandrel to thereby enable the pressure drop across the tool to be regulated by selection of the configuration of said skirt.
 2. The arresting device of claim 1 wherein said expansion means includes means forming a downwardly diverging portion on said mandrel; said wheel of saiD wall engaging means being placed closely adjacent to said diverging portion when said mandrel is moved towards said barrel.
 3. The arresting device of claim 2 and further including means forming spaced apart longitudinally extending grooves on said mandrel; a retainer assembly on said mandrel; said retainer assembly having means forming a tunnel therethrough, one of said arms having a portion thereof received within said tunnel to thereby maintain one said wheel aligned with one said groove.
 4. The arresting device of claim 1 wherein the upper extremity of said barrel has a support means attached thereto for running the arresting device into and out of a hole, and the lower extremity of said mandrel is adapted to support the downhole tools.
 5. The arresting device of claim 1 wherein said expansion means includes a downwardly diverging portion of said mandrel, said mandrel having a lower marginal end portion adapted to be connected to the tool string; the upper marginal end portion of said mandrel being the recited portion which is received within said barrel; means forming longitudinally extending grooves about said mandrel; said arm of said wall engaging means including a cage at one extremity thereof and an enlargement at the remaining extremity thereof; means by which said wheel is rotatably received in captured relationship within said cage; means forming spaced apart T-slots in the lower marginal edge portion of said barrel, said enlargement being captured within said T-slot and said wheel being guidably received within one of said grooves.
 6. The arresting device of claim 5 and further including a retainer assembly; said retainer assembly having means forming a tunnel therethrough, one of said arms having a portion thereof received within said tunnel to thereby maintain said wheel aligned with the groove.
 7. Apparatus for supporting or arresting a tool string within a pipe or the like, comprising: a mandrel, a barrel, a plurality of pipe wall engaging means circumferentially disposed about the outer periphery of said mandrel; said mandrel having a marginal portion thereof which is telescopingly received in a reciprocating manner within a marginal portion of said barrel; an arm having one end portion thereof depending from a lowermost portion of said barrel, with the remaining end portion of said arm being connected to said barrel; said wall engaging means being connected to said barrel by said arm; said wall engaging means being spaced apart from said barrel and lying adjacent to said mandrel; and expansion means forming a part of said mandrel for causing said wall engaging means to move radially away from a longitudinal axis of said mandrel when said mandrel is telescoped in a first direction, and for moving said wall engaging means towards the longitudinal axis of said mandrel when said mandrel is telescoped in a direction opposite to said first direction.
 8. Apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said wall engaging means includes a wheel, journal means attaching said wheel to said arm.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said wheel is provided with a central aperture; a pin; means by which said depending end portion of said arm is in the form of a cage, said aperture having an inside dimension which loosely receives said pin to thereby enable said wheel to bear against an inside surface of said cage.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said mandrel is provided with a removable skirt, said skirt being spaced apart from said barrel and circumferentially extending about the entire circumferential surface of a limited length of said mandrel to thereby enable the pressure drop across the tool to be regulated by selection of the configuration of said skirt. 